
Jan 24, 2025
Asheville, North Carolina–The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) is proud to announce the appointment of Tori Huster as its Deputy Executive Director. A former professional soccer player and long-time advocate for NWSL Player rights as President of the NWSLPA from 2020-2025, Huster brings a singular combination of experience, proven leadership, and vision to her new role. It was in the latter part of her career that she dedicated the majority of her efforts to raising the bar for women’s professional athletes.
She has been closely involved with the NWSLPA since its inception in 2017, playing a key role in advancing the union’s mission and negotiating two historic collective bargaining agreements. She played a pivotal role in negotiating the league's first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 2022 and the subsequent landmark 2024 CBA, which secured free agency rights and abolished the draft—making the NWSL the first major American professional sport to achieve these groundbreaking milestones.
Recently, she was featured at Harvard Kennedy School’s ‘Sports, Entertainment and Impact Summit’ as well as the 'Women in Sports' session of the 2024 Forbes Under 30 Summit, further underscoring her influence and dedication to advancing women's sport.
“I am honored to take on this role and advocate passionately for the rights and well-being of NWSL players,” said Huster. “Together, we will build on the progress we’ve made and ensure a bright future for all of the players that play in NWSL .”
Being a former player, Huster brings firsthand experience of the extraordinary global growth of women's soccer, shaped by her distinguished 12-year professional career. As the most tenured player for the Washington Spirit, she appeared in over 150 matches and became only the fifth player in NWSL history to surpass 13,000 career minutes. Huster helped lead the Spirit to two NWSL Championship appearances, including their victorious 2021 title run. She also represented the United States at the U23 Women’s National Team level and gained international experience in Australia’s W-League, playing for Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers.
“Tori is uniquely qualified for this role, having forged her union leadership skills by fire during a critical time in American soccer history,” said Executive Director Meghann Burke. “Some people talk about loyalty and dedication, but Tori lives it. Tori is implicitly trusted by all who know her well - teammates, fellow union leaders, and myself in particular. It is a testament to her commitment and the NWSLPA’s collective strength that Tori has chosen to commit her professional life to this work upon her retirement from a remarkable playing career. On a personal level, I am deeply grateful to continue having her counsel and perspective as we continue to strengthen the NWSLPA together.”
A proud Cincinnati, Ohio native, Huster’s commitment to excellence began during her collegiate career at Florida State University, where she was a four-year starter and earned Scholar All-American and All-American honors. She received a degree in Exercise Science from Florida State.
As Deputy Executive Director of the NWSLPA, Huster will focus on advocating for players’ rights, equitable treatment, and enhanced working conditions, with a particular focus on promoting and protecting player health, wellness, and safety. Her vision includes strengthening the league’s commitment to player safety, compensation, and player development as well as ensuring that the players have every opportunity to build upon the rich legacy that others left behind.
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